#Hphm fic

[the-al-chemist]

Another Day

A/N: July’s prompt for @hp-12monthsofmagic is “Surprise…”, and this story contains a fairly big one. I’ll let Charlie tell you about it… Warnings: two minor swear word, one of which barely counts as a swear. Tagging: @fantasywriter19 and @toads-in-my-pockets, who I think may particularly enjoy this little story.

The sun was high in the sky, making the autumn leaves on the ground glow in shades of gold as Charlie arrived in the front garden of the Burrow. From inside the house, the sounds of laughter and clattering pots and pans could be heard as he crunched his way across the yard to the front porch, still dizzy from his Portkey.

He knocked on the front door and was greeted by his mother, who immediately smothered him in an almost rib-breakingly tight hug.

“Bloody hell, Mum. It’s like you’ve not seen me in six months, not six weeks!”

“Well, six weeks is a long time when I had gotten used to you being around all the time,” Mrs Weasley replied. “It’s just lovely to have you home, dear.”

Charlie’s mother let him go, looking almost expectantly behind him before sighing deeply.

“What’s the matter?” Charlie asked her.

“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. I thought that maybe… Oh, never mind. Come on inside, dear.”

Shaking his head despairingly, Charlie followed his mother inside the house. It didn’t look quite the same as it had when he was growing up, but it still felt like home, a fact he was grateful for, given the state the house had been in at the end of the war. The Death Eaters had completely ransacked the house and destroyed parts of it; it had taken Charlie and his brother Percy the best part of a year to fully restore it to its former unglorified glory.

In the living room was Percy himself, along with Charlie’s other two eldest brothers and their father. Charlie hugged each of them in turn, finishing with his older brother, Bill.

“Where’s Fleur?” Charlie asked him, looking around himself as if his sister-in-law might suddenly appear out of nowhere - which, in fairness, she could.

“She went for some air,” replied Bill, smiling broadly. “She’s out in the back garden watching Harry and Ginny teach Teddy to ride a broom.”

“Right. And the others?”

“Ron and Hermione should be here any minute now, and knowing Artemis, she will be here ten minutes late.”

“Of course. Why break the habit of a lifetime?” Charlie said, raising his eyebrows knowingly. “I’ll go and show my face outside.”

In the back garden, Fleur Weasley was sitting on a deck chair with a glass of water, watching Charlie’s sister Ginny and her boyfriend holding a blue-haired toddler upright on a broomstick. At the sight of her brother, Ginny left Harry and Teddy to their flying lesson and ran across the grass towards him.

“Did you come here alone?” she demanded, without even saying hello first.

“It’s nice to see you too, Gin.”

“Yeah, whatever. Answer the question.”

“Uh, yes. Why?”

“Oh, mum was getting all excited. She got it into her head that you were bringing a girl home as a surprise.”

Charlie blinked. “Why would she think that?”

“Because Mum just loves marrying people off, doesn’t she?” Ginny laughed. “And because you only ever usually come home when it’s a special occasion.”

Ginny had a point, Charlie had to admit that. When he had first left home at eighteen, he struggled to afford Portkeys, and always found himself feeling more homesick returning to Romania after visiting his family. Going home infrequently had become somewhat of a habit, but after the war ended and he moved back to Romania following a year’s sabbatical, his priorities had changed. He had visited more often in the last five months, but it just so happened that his visits had coincided with big events: Ginny’s graduation, George’s shop re-opening, Ron’s engagement. This was the first time he had come home without there being some sort of occasion, the first time that it was just another day in the life of the Weasley family.

“Anyway,” Ginny continued, apparently not noticing the somewhat guilty conscience of her brother, “Mum started putting twos together, you know what she’s like.”

“She does like putting twos together.”

“So, you definitely haven’t brought a girl home, then?”

Charlie looked one way and then the other, before holding his hands aloft and shrugging his shoulders.

“Mum will be disappointed,” Ginny laughed, and Fleur smirked into her glass of water.

“I expect zat she will cope,” she said wryly.

From inside the house, Molly called that dinner was ready, and the whole family made their way towards the kitchen. Charlie ducked under a platter of roast potatoes making its own way to the table in order to greet the latecomers: his youngest brother Ron and his fiancée, and Charlie’s best friend from school, Artemis Hexley.

“Trust you to arrive just in time for food,” he muttered to her as he pulled her into a hug. “Though you could’ve at least brushed your hair.”

“Oh, piss off,” Artemis prodded Charlie in the ribs and wriggled out from his arms. “How was your journey here, anyway?”

“Not too bad.”

“The grannies of Ottery St Catchpole all survived you apparating, then?”

“You know, that joke stopped being funny about eight years ago.”

“To you, maybe.”

Artemis grinned wickedly and made her way to the table, Charlie following behind her. As the plates of food were passed around and the kitchen was filled with the sound of lively conversation, he realised how much he had missed moments like this. This was exactly what he had wanted for his visit home.

When the chatter at the dinner table reached a natural lull, Charlie cleared his throat quietly. Before he could say anything to fill the gap, however, Bill rose to his feet.

“I didn’t realise there were going to be speeches,” said George, through a mouthful of food.

“I’ll be quick, I promise,” Bill laughed sheepishly. “It’s just that while everyone is here, I - well, Fleur and I - wanted to tell you all something.” He placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder and smiled at her so widely he looked as if he might burst from happiness, before telling the rest of the family: “We are going to have a baby.”

Suddenly, the kitchen was filled with even more noise and movement than before. Molly and Arthur Weasley rose from their seats to embrace their oldest son and daughter-in-law, Molly making high-pitched noises and crying. Percy congratulated them heartily, and Artemis dropped her fork on the floor in surprise.

Charlie bent down to pick it up and handed it back to her, their eyes meeting as the fork exchanged hands. She pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows, and he gave her an almost imperceptible shrug in response.

Just like that, the day now belonged to Bill, Fleur, and their unborn child. The talk at the dinner table had turned to babies, to names and dates and sleeping arrangements. Even after dinner ended, the discussion continued, with Charlie’s mother rushing to find the family albums to find photos of her own seven babies for everyone to look at, an ordeal Charlie managed to escape by offering to clean up after dinner.

“Can I just grab a glass for Fleur?” Bill asked him, once everyone else had retired to the sitting room.

“Of course you can,” Charlie ducked out of the way of a cupboard to allow Bill to summon a glass from it. He chuckled to himself and shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re going to be a dad.”

“Neither can I.”

“You must be so happy.”

“I am,” said Bill, still smiling. “Terrified, but happy.”

“It’ll be alright. You’ll be a great dad.”

“Thanks, Charlie.”

“I mean it,” Charlie held his hand out to Bill. “Congratulations, mate.”

The two brothers shook hands before wrapping their free arms around each other’s shoulders.

“I’m just glad you decided to come back this weekend,” Bill said. “We didn’t want some people finding out before others, and you know how hard it is to get everyone in one place when it’s not for something specific.”

“Hm, yeah.” Charlie nodded, aware that Artemis had just entered the room and pulled a face that made it hard for him not to laugh. “Tough, that.”

“I mean it, thank you. Anyway, better give this to Fleur. Sorry, Artemis, didn’t realise you were behind me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.” Artemis paused before briefly hugging Bill around the waist. “Congratulations, by the way.”

She watched Bill carry Fleur’s glass out of the room, before leaning back against the kitchen table and watching the dishes wash and dry themselves at the sink.

“You didn’t fancy looking at the photos of baby Bill in the bath, then?” asked Charlie.

“Not really. I lived with him for half of last year, if I wanted to see his knob I’d have had plenty of opportunities to do so.”

Charlie laughed and used his wand to direct the clean plates into the cupboard before joining Artemis on the edge of the table.

“So much for it just being another boring, regular day at the Burrow,” she muttered quietly, rolling her eyes.

“I never said it would be boring,” replied Charlie, his voice also lowered. He sighed. “That’s the thing about big families. There’s always something going on with someone. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Honest?”

Artemis turned her face towards Charlie, holding his gaze.

“Yeah,” she said, completely honestly. “If anything, it’s kind of funny. You had this brilliant plan set out for weeks, and Bill swoops in at the last minute with the exact same idea.”

“Well, they say great minds think alike,” Charlie grinned. “You think that’s funny, you should hear what Mum and Ginny said.”

“What was that?”

“They thought I might be bringing home a girlfriend this weekend.”

“Did they really?” Artemis smirked. “That’s brilliant. What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing at all?”

“No, I just went like this,” Charlie held his hands up slightly and shrugged his shoulders. Artemis blinked at him. “What? It works every time.”

Artemis burst out laughing, using one hand to stifle the sound of her giggles as Charlie shushed her through his own.

“We can’t now, can we?” she whispered, once the two of them had composed themselves.

“Not really, no.”

“That would be unfair.”

“It would,” said Charlie. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s just good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back. I missed you.”

“You too.”

Charlie cast a glance over his shoulder at the door before wrapping his arm around Artemis.

“So, now what?” she asked, reaching across him to take his free hand, her fingers walking over his like the rungs of a ladder.

“We let them have their day today, and then we will just have to make a new plan so we can have our turn another day.”

“And that’s when we’ll tell them about” - Artemis’ eyes flicked from Charlie’s right hand in her lap to his left on her shoulder - “us?”

With another look back at the door, Charlie pulled her closer to him, kissed her hairline, and rested his chin on the top of her head.

“Yeah. That’s when we’ll tell them about us.”

[ash-buzzard]

Year 7 chapter 42

Charlie never gets angry but Merula told everyone something she shouldn’t have... He makes it clear she won’t hurt mc (ash) again.

---

When Merula drops the bombshell about Peregrine being Ashley's father, Charlie sees how it affects her when the Circle struggles to process the news and regain trust in her.

Uncharacteristically, Charlie's usual calm demeanour gives way to a rare moment of anger when he spots Merula in the Great Hall. With controlled intensity, he presses her against the wall and gives her a stern warning in a low, deliberate voice.

“Careful, Snyde.”

Silence falls over the Great Hall as everyone watches the unexpected scene unfold. It's uncommon to see Charlie display such aggression, and Merula, torn between defiance and guilt, remains speechless.

“Don’t you dare hurt Ash again” he whispers, “or you will find me. I’m not afraid of you like I used to in 5th grade, so don’t test me”

Slowly releasing her, Charlie shoots her a glare before turning on his heel and heading off to class, leaving behind a lingering tension in the air.

[libellule-ao3]

Welcome!

I'm a reader and writer of fanfiction, active since 2020 on AO3 [➡️ Libellule-Sulfureuse]. I'm used to commenting on all the fanfic I read, which probably explains why I don't read much. 😅

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[maelstroumwaterfall]

Arbormagic Syndrome Chapter 11 | Hogwarts Mystery Infection AU

Chapter 11 | The Cave

(Hello!💝 Here's a small remark that will help you with reading this chapter, the "------" line before the paragraph indicates a change of the side the story is being told from, and °° indicates about the part characters hear or know. Hope I didn't make ypu confused😔 I wanted to choice the best way to tell the story but I'm afraid it might be too confusing in this case.. Anyways hope you enjoy this chapter💖)

It was all quiet in the castle as the students, Madam Pince and Minerva walked through the corridors, illuminating the stone walls with the bright light of Lumos. It could indicate that Maelstrom was the only threat but it was too early to loose the guard and let the students go back to their dormitories.

When they were in the Great Hall among the crowd of other students it felt much more safe. As soon as Bill spotted Charlie amongst the other students he immediately went towards him while Ismelda, Merula and Rowan moved towards the nearest seats at the table. They all felt that significant tension after what happened, nobody wanted to start talking, though nobody knew what to say either.

Surprisingly, Rowan was the first one to speak up. He looked doubted, conflicted and worried, yet he definitely had something to say. It was all noisy there, everyone was talking and discussing the happening, not understanding what is going on at all. Rowan looked up at Snyde and Murk, before gesturing them to move a little away from the main crowd.

They stopped in the corner where there were less people, though it was quite close to the exit that meant if someone or something dangerous goes inside, they'll be the first ones to face it.

-I have something to tell you.. I didn't consider it that important before, but now I think it could have something to do with all that mess. - he started, immediately catching the attention of both Merula and Ismelda.

-What? You knew something about it and didn't tell us? - Snyde asked, not understanding why would he try to hide something in that situation. It was clear that the situation was becoming dangerous even a few days ago when Maelstrom's abnormal behavior became more than obvious.

-I said I thought it wasn't something important! Like.. Not related to whatever is happening now. Just listen, please. - he repeated before he looked behind him to check if there was something happening in the Great Hall as the headmaster was probably going to have a speech for students if it's needed to warn them about something or calm them down.

-A week or maybe.. three weeks ago? I don't remember.. Well.. Maelstrom has told me that he probably found the next Cursed Vault.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

......Three weeks ago......

°It was a day after Waterfall and Merula went to the Forbidden Forest to try and find any signs of the next Cursed Vault. They told Rakepick try didn't find anything, but in truth Maelstrom has spotted something interesting not far away from the place where they were searching. He wasn't going to tell anyone untill he investigates it himself°, there was no reason for him to share the treasures if he finds the final vault first.

He didn't have any intensions on finding his brother, he didn't want to have that traitor by his side anymore. They agreed on looking for the Vaults together after Maelstrom attends to Hogwarts, but Jacob ran away without him like a pathetic coward. At least Rowan believed his true intentions were to find his probably dead brother, no matter how much Merula was trying to prove otherwise. He would most likely not be willing to risk his life for a bunch of gold just like others. If there was only a way to get rid of this annoying, ugly pig Snyde, things would be much easier for him. Though, maybe there is a way. He just needs to wait for that opportunity.

°He was studying Disillusionment Spell for a while now, he understood there will definitely be a use of invisibility even since the third year. He sneaked out of the castle, not worrying about taking a broom or something else.° He already imagined how he finds the last vault and breaks the curse alone, getting all the laurels and proving his parents he's not that spoiled, lazy and worthless failure he used to be called.

°The place he found was a kind of a cave, he wouldn't pay any attention to it if he didn't notice that slight gleaming of light somewhere there. The entrance was very thin and he would have to crawl to get inside and he's lucky if he will not end up stuck between between the firm, stone walls without anyone knowing he's there. He carefully bent down and started slowly moving through the cramped stone walls.°

°He was about to stop when he just started, feeling a pure disgust at the cadaveric odor coming from the cave°, but decided to risk if it means getting unimaginable wealth himself. His parents spent all their life achieving the wealth they have now, and he will achieve the same in his teenage years, without a need to spend his days working on some brats for a few gallions.

The light was becoming brighter and he was already expecting to see mountains of gold that will provide him with an unimaginable wealth for his whole life. He didn't even think what else could be there, even since the disgusting odor was become even more and more significant over time. °He squeezed through the rock walls and ended up on the icy surface.°

°The whole space was illuminated by the magical, bright light coming from whatever was underneath. It was a beautiful and hypnotizing picture, and he stood right above that, something mysterious and unknown. He leaned closer and wiped the icy cover a little, before he instantly flinched back and the beauty and charms of the place disappeared in his eyes after he saw what was beneath.°

°It was a half-rotten, distorted dead body, covered in a wooden like bark. He saw something creeping under the ice, it looked like small white-blue snakes and after a moment he could see they were a reason of the bright light inside. He couldn't quite see everything because of these, they were everywhere there, like there were thousands if not millions of these snakes that made it impossible to concentrate through the incredibly bright light.°

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-You said he saw snakes? - Ismelda asked, already understanding why Rowan thought it has to do something with the current situation.

Rowan simply nodded, understanding that it's already clear that the things Maelstrom thought were snakes are most likely the parasites they've discovered.

-I'm starting to feel less and less pity for him, not like I did at all. - she said, rolling her eyes. She could figure out Maelstrom was hiding something but she couldn't imagine this coward trying to go there alone. She even smirked a little, knowing that happened to him after he to trick everyone, especially her. She even remembered how Waterfall was the one joking about her death, though it was happening quite too often.

It got to the point where it she couldn't ignore it and just laugh at his pathetic behavior, it started making her feel extremely annoyed and disgusted. She still regrets the Devil's Snare didn't manage to end his pathetic existence at the first year, things would be much easier for everyone without this pathetic brat roaming around.

Rowan frowned and gave her a strict glance, feeling hurt by her words and the way she's so casual about it. - Just let me tell everything. - he said in a sharper tone, though one could say he simply wanted to make her shut up because he couldn't bear seeing her so easy on his friend's death.

Merula was taken aback by Rowan's sudden outburst, even though he didn't show that much of aggression towards her. It wasn't like him, but she probably also went too far, after all, Maelstrom was a very important person for him and seeing someone smirking at his death was definitely not pleasant. She started feeling guilty, though it didn't make her feel any pity for Waterfall even in the slightest, but she felt like wanting to say sorry to Rowan, but already started continuing telling.

She decided to not say anything and just listen quietly. He was a person that over time made her feel like she doesn't want to see him feeling bad even in the slightest, even though she was harsh with him at first. She was even becoming less impulsive and rude by his side, though the side of Maelstrom near was always making her explode. It looked like Maelstrom managed to get on everyone's nerves, she was even noticing how Penny and Tonks were becoming less and less willing to stay by his side.

Rowan sighed and then continued telling, sometimes glancing at the dark corridor near them, expecting to see something slowly crawling towards them in the shadows in any second.

---------------------------------------------

°He couldn't believe what he saw and couldn't even suppose what it was as he's never heard of something like this before. He looked around, spotting an another entrance, leading to another part of the cave. He made a few steps closer and managed to take a better look at the insides. It looked like an old room, with a table, faded notes and even small table lamps that of course weren't working anymore.°

°He also noticed something growing from under the ice, it looked like trees but the benches seemed to grow absolutely randomly. As he walked further he noticed more dead bodies under the ice, he wondered if there really were so many people that tried to break the curse.° He also wondered if his brother there, even though it didn't matter for him like that anymore. He ensured himself he'll not end up like them, he definitely is much smarter and stronger than that.

°He made a next step before he head a loud, cracking sound beneath his feets. His heart felt like it stopped while the soumd echoed along the cave system. He watched how the fissure slowly spread along the ice and then stopped as if waiting for the next opportunity to worsen the situation. He took a moment to regain his breath, thinking of what he should do next. If he goes and reaches the 'room', there will be no chance left for him to come back.°

°He made a short step back and gritted his teeth at the side of the ice that is barely firm enough to bear a standing person, again having a crevasse spreading along. He only now noticed how the creatures beneath started cycling fast around him and that's where he didn't wait any longer before rushing back to the cleft that was the only entrance and exit of the cave.°

° -No! - he yelled, running as fast as he could and feeling a pure terror by the only thought of ending up like the ones he saw under ice. He was in a meter before the cleft when the ice underneath him broke and he fell down in the icy cold water. He didn't risk to open his eyes but he could felt how the parasites were touching and leaving burns on his skin. He managed to move his head out of the water and had to wipe the like it seemed hundreds of these disgusting creatures.°

°He was trying to grab the edge of the cleft, trying to get off the water like a trapped beast. His heart was beating wildly as he finally managed to reach the edge and cling on the rock surface. He pulled up, trying to wipe away the disgusting creatures that covered his clothes and body, before he hurried to crawl out of the cave. As soon as his feets finally touched the ground he rushed away, not daring to look back or slow down.

°He looked at his hands, looking at the slowly disappearing burns on his skin before reaching for his wand to use Lumos. He was lucky he didn't catch the attention of any other dangerous creature in the forest or it would be the last time he was seen near the castle grounds.°

°He wasn't sure if he should tell Rakepick and others about that place, the only thing he was sure about is that he wouldn't let him find out that he was there. After he sneaked back to his dorm room, Rowan was the only one he told about that place. They were going to make a research and even tell others so it'll be safer as they wouldn't have to go there alone, but after a few days Maelstrom suddenly denied that idea and said he found out it was just an old cave lake and they didn't need to go there.°

°When Khanna asked why he thinks so, Waterfall only said he found something about it in the book, yet didn't show it to him saying why can't he just believe him. It was strange but they had more problems than that and that's why Rowan didn't pay that much attention 'till now when the situation became critical.°

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-I wanted to tell you when we all were in the library but I really wasn't sure about that all. The only thing that could be a proof for this was Maelstrom's strange behavior after that happened. - Rowan said, letting out a heavy sigh, feeling guilty that he didn't come up with it earlier. Maybe things would be better if he did that in time and warned everyone. Maybe Maelstrom wouldn't be dead now if he did at least something.

-We must tell Professor Dumbledore, if someone knows what is this it must be him. - Ismelda suggested and other seemed to agree with it, especially since even McGonagall said she didn't know what it was.

-I don't think it's the right time. Everyone's in panic, we need to wait 'till the situation with Maelstrom is solved. They definitely have more things to do now than to listen to our suggestions. We'll approach him right after they announce that it's safe. - Merula said, seeing how the teachers are discussing something. Their worried and doubted expression made her feel hesitant and concerned too, just like everyone else in the room.

-If they even will. It's not clear if Maelstrom was the only one.. like this.. We can still be in danger. - Murk glaced at the entrance of the Great Hall, barely lit and threatening to hide dangers in it's darkness. Rowan nodded but as soon as he wanted to say something in response the floor was shattered with the powerful explosion from somewhere beneath their floor. They leaned to the wall to not fall. Everyone started panicking again. Some of the teachers rushed away from the Great Hall, probably to the place where the explosion was caused.

There was another strange thing, when Merula entered the Great Hall first to warn the teachers about Maelstrom she didn't see most of the teachers there because they were looking for the cause of the threat around the castle, but when she came back with others almost every Professor was already there, except of Professor Snape.

(Thank you for reading💖💝💖 It was a while since I've posted the last chapter because I got an artblock and felt like a zombie during the whole week.. I'm really sorry for this😔 But I'm really happy there are people who like the story and appreciate all of you!😽 Hope you're having a good day, love you💖😻)

[eternalchaoschocolaterain]

So, seeing Merula ice skate inspired me and I wrote a little scene. It felt really good to just write after life's stresses caused me a block the past few weeks.

Anyway, the scene:

When she came over, Quinn hadn't expected to find Merula outside. Usually her girlfriend wasn't too fond of the cold. But she wasn't just outside, she was skating on the pond in her garden. All dressed up in thick jeans, a tight black woolen coat and a matching hat.

Standing on ice wasn't exactly Quinn's idea of fun. She'd rather be up the air, or running in sensible shoes. Not slipping away on ice skates, but Merula made it look fun. The way she just glided over the ice, so graceful it almost looked like she was dancing. One feet in the air, moving backwards and even making a pirouette! Quinn couldn't help but stare from her place on the wooden bench.

So there was no way she could've said no when Merula asked if she wanted to give it a try.

'Good, I think I got an old pair that we can size up. Give me a minute,' Merula said and went back inside her house.

Right, there was no sense in waiting anyway. It was a beautiful day. Snow clung to the trees around the pond and glittered in the sunlight.

'What do you think?' Merula held up a pair of black skates that looked like sneakers with a bar underneath.

'Looks good.' Quinn took them while Merula went to put her own skates back on.

The skates were too small, as expected, but nothing a few well-placed engorgio's couldn't fix. By the time they fit Merula was already back to gliding over the ice.

The blades sunk into the snow when Quinn got up and she almost fell over. Great start. She took a first step. One blade slipped against, well she didn't even know what it slipped against, and she fell over. How was she supposed to get to the pond on these things?! Hopefully Merula hadn't noticed.

Melodic laughter sounded out. Too late. She looked up to see Merula glide towards her with a big grin on her pale face. Her cheeks were rosy from the exercise.

'Have you ever gone ice skating anyway?' She held out her gloved hands.

'No, I didn't have skates? Still don't, actually.' Quinn took them both and steadied herself. 'How do you walk with these things?'

'It's about balance. Smalls steps at first.'

Merula took Quinn by her forearms and gently guided her towards the pond. While only a few steps away it took quite an effort to get there and she almost slipped again when she stepped on the ice.

'Don't let go of me!'

'I won't,' Merula soothed, still grinning. 'Do you trust me?'

'I do.'

'Okay. Bend your knees a little. Yes, like that. Now push your foot forward, one at the time.'

Quinn did as she was told and slowly moved forward. How Merula managed to skate backwards while holding her steady was beyond her.

After a few small steps she tried bigger ones and looked down to see what she was doing. It almost made her trip again.

'Don't look down, stupid. Keep looking at me.' She did and Merula had a big smirk on her face. 'I can't believe I'm actually teaching League's sports woman of the year something new.'

'That was last year and it's League, that doesn't- wait you read League?'

'Doesn't everybody?' Merula turned red.

'I think most people just look at the pictures.' Quinn sniggered.

League presented itself as a sports magazine, but mostly featured pictures, with small bodies of text to keep up the pretense. As a teen it had been one of her favourite magazines and a few centerfolds had ended up her walls. So when League asked her to do a shoot last year, she'd been flattered. Even more so when they asked her again for the competition. She ended up being the centerfold and wow did it feel good to be on the same level as the people she admired as a teen. If she didn't feel weird about hanging a picture like that of herself, she might've framed it.

'So, what did you think?'

'You looked good, but I prefer this.' Merula pulled at her forearms to bring her closer and plant a soft kiss on her lips. Before Quinn had a chance to kiss her back, Merula pulled away. 'I'm going to let go now. Keep your legs bend and see if you can do it by yourself.'

With a grumble Quinn nodded and to her surprise she managed to move on her own. Not too bad. She tried a turn and started to gain a little speed. This felt good, maybe ice skating could become a new sport for her.

'Spread your legs and stick one foot out if you want to slow down or stop.' Merula advised while following Quinn, still skating backwards.

Without realising it, she'd begun to stare again and tripped over her feet while trying to slow down. Merula came right over and laughed while helping her get up. Her violet eyes scrunched in delight.

'I see I have my work cut out for me this winter.'

'Just wait, I'll teach you about broomsurfing this summer,' Quinn pretend scoffed. 'See who's laughing then.'

[gameanimechronicles]

Bienvenidos a Todos

¡Hola y bienvenidos a mi blog! He decidido embarcarme en la emocionante travesía de compartir mis historias con todos ustedes, me gusta el anime y los videojuegos.

Comencé a escribir mi historia Sombras del Pasado: El Niño Maldito basándome a una adaptación del juego Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery, con mi personaje Nathaniel Callaghan en Wattpad, espero tener su apoyo leyendo mi historia y colocar su comentario para así crecer como escritor novato

También pienso en publicar mis propias historias de otros videojuegos o series de anime, pero eso sería de largo plazo espero que sean pacientes hasta entonces

[katherinewilliams221b]

Ol’ Saint Nicholas

Part 1/2: Aurora

Summary: Against her wishes, Kate returns to her home for the Holidays, dreading the threats that await her in Williams Manor. She will have to face once more who she considers her mortal enemy and possibly the cause of Jacob’s disappearance.

Pairing: Implied/ Mentioned Charlie Weasley x ofc/Jacob’s sibling

Warnings: Mature, death/murder

A/N: Not your typical Christmas fic, it won’t be jolly, always here to provide angst and weird shit. The pairing is referenced because all my stories happen in the same universe. This is the Christmas after starting year 6 of Hogwarts. I stopped following hphm storyline in year 4 so maybe I took some liberties.

A proper christmas fic with charlie in it would be A very Walsh Christmas

-

Wouldn't you know that you'd

Be responsible for all the holiday noise?

Wouldn't you know that we'd be just like

Other little girls and boys?

-

The day was clear, disgustingly bright for the mood I was in, and it didn’t suit the place either. Tall, black metal fences opened when the black carriage that took me to this… my house arrived.

I said my goodbyes to the chauffeur and stepped out while securing my backpack on my shoulder, leaving my trunk behind.

Just as I was about to walk, Prim, one of my grandfather’s assistants apparated next to the carriage, grabbed my trunk and disapparated just as fast. I just hoped that they wouldn’t confiscate the gifts that the Weasleys gave me that summer for my birthday.

I sighed at the thought of Charlie, the Burrow, and the goodbye kiss we shared at King’s Cross, while staring at the block of stone and bricks that was the Williams Manor.

It stared back at me in the distance, tall and long, smirking at how all my secrets would be revealed when I crossed its threshold. I had to close my eyes, concentrate on something that wasn’t the splendid summer I had spent with the Weasleys, something other than a certain redhead that miraculously reciprocated, and most importantly, erase the memories of the start of this year at Hogwarts.

The first step I took towards the Williams’ grounds couldn’t have been more of a warning; looking down, I found my converse half-deep in mud and I sighed once more. 

The terrain changed into grovel, and I rounded the black fountain, now frozen, towards the front door. I didn’t jump at the clunk of the gates smashing against each other behind me, or at one of the stone sirens at the fountain following me with her gaze, nor at the two suits of armours, one on each side of the doors, who suddenly pointed their spears towards my face.

“You should be able to recognise me by now.” I stated at them. “I live here.”

No response.

“Or maybe someone could update the system to something less invasive? Like a voice sensor or a secret code?”

I cocked my head to one side, delaying the inevitable. “How about a doorbell?”

The knights crossed their weapons, blocking the door, and I considered just for a brief moment apparating out of there. It would be illegal, yes, and difficult. Bill had been teaching me, but I couldn’t seem to get the hang of it just yet. Maybe running fast enough I could catch the car back to London…

If you are going to stand there… careful with the new vines that we planted.

A shiver ran through me. I almost forgot what it was like, what the feeling of the house being inside your head at all times was. I didn’t recognise the voice, maybe it was Nicholas, maybe one of the knights. Either way, I couldn’t resist a response.

I would prefer them over this.

Resigning myself after waiting for another attack on my psyche, the fear of freezing to death convinced me to just… accept it.

I reached out my hand aiming at one of the spears, and the knights were on the move again. They never cut too deep, just enough to draw out a single drop of blood. I hissed when it pricked me. I almost forgot that pain, too.

The drop travelled rapidly down the spear, growing bigger as it went, leaving silver sparks wherever it touched, and disappearing just as fast. The knight pointed at the lock and the drop jumped inside. I crossed my arms around myself as the two guardians returned to their original position, unmoving.

I patiently waited for the soft click that I heard, and after a loud thump both doors opened before me, letting me see the interior. Of course, one more obstacle awaited me, the magic detector barrier placed at the threshold, courtesy of Nicholas Williams.

I stepped through the invisible curtain, which glowed with my presence. My backpack opened with force, spitting my wand and a pair of earmuffs. Both of the items were left floating at my sides.

Almost immediately, Prim apparated before me. That day he chose a tall, languid, unhealthily pale appearance. Metamorphagi could turn into anything they wanted, and it never failed to surprise me how Prim seemed to prefer looks that make him resemble a serial-murderer. The only way to identify him was the unmistakable odour of the perfume he, in my opinion, bathed with instead of water.

“What is that?” He asked, pointing at the earmuffs.

“Hello, Prim. Merry Christmas to you too. That is for herbology homework.”

The lie slipped out of me too easily. Since I started being able to talk, I learnt how to take advantage of Prim’s poor knowledge of… everything. The man was as dumb as a teaspoon.

He hummed and clearly needing to attend to more important matters, he disapparated once again, not before cleaning my shoe with a hand gesture and a disgusted expression.

I picked my wand and earmuffs from the air and put them back in my bag again as I walked the long hallway inside.

To my left, the lights distracted me and I stopped to admire the living room, fully decorated for Christmas. I had to admit that as much as I hated staying inside the house, preferring my room or the outdoors whenever possible, the holidays decor deserved to be admired. Approaching the threshold, I peeked as carefully as I could, trying to avoid the guests who sat on the couches to see me. At least there was no sight of Nicholas, and since the living space was mostly empty, I would not be reprised for being the last to arrive. That gave me a bit of time to settle.

Taking one last look at the roof-high tree in front of the fireplace, I resumed my way.

The house was surprisingly quiet for Christmas, except for the music coming from the living room and the faint murmur of dishes being handled in the kitchen as I approached the also Christmas adorned staircase.

I couldn’t even take a step upstairs when the sound of a door opening came from my right. I turned my head, holding my breath, waiting for her to come out. However, the door to my grandmother’s studio only opened more, with no one stepping out.

Contemplating if I should just ignore it or giving in to the clear invitation, I heard steps coming down the stairs. I held my breath for a second, only to see Henriette, one of the cook’s assistants, murmuring under her breath with haste.

She halted when she spotted me, and I recognised the terror of almost encountering someone she didn’t want to. The same terror she probably saw on myself.

We relaxed and shared a smile.

“Merry Christmas, Miss Williams. It’s good to see you.” Her green eyes clouded with worry.

“Merry Christmas, Hattie. Is everything all right?” She huffed a laugh and gave me a sweet smile.

“Perceptive as always.” She glanced at the studio’s door and returned her attention to me. “Just a change of menu. I was going to help extend the table…”

Something above my shoulder prevented her from finishing her sentence. I turned around to find Prim staring at us from a distance.

“I must go. I hope you had a nice start of classes.” I just nodded, watching how both disappeared through the living room door.

I turned again, facing the opened studio. No one had come in or out. Fine.

Walking to it and opening the door fully, I found my grandmother sitting at her desk, her perfectly symmetrical built-in bookcases at her back. The cream walls were always plastered with paintings of dead ancestors that would judge me as soon as I entered the room.

Soft music came from a violin playing itself in the air at the corner.

She hadn’t looked up from the parchment she had in her hands, but I was sure she knew of my presence.

She had perfectly brown-dyed hair, slicked back and cut just below her ears, which were adorned with big pearls. They matched her brooch in her grey suit. Her expression was focused, I almost thought she was too busy to mind me attention but at last and without looking up, she spoke.

“What a gracious Christmas gift to bless us with your presence.”

“Aurora.” I saluted while entering. I ignored the numerous pairs of eyes that followed me from the walls. She still didn’t look up. I sat on one of the green armchairs facing her desk.

“One would think you don’t live here anymore.” She spat again.

I can handle her, I repeated mentally. Her speech was velvety and murderous, but Aurora was never dangerous. I had to force myself to remember that when she finally lasered me with her icy blue stare.

“I sent a letter saying I wouldn’t come back for the summer.” I defended myself “I even said I would buy my new textbooks by myself.”

When she didn’t answer, I kept going, “I figured one less person in the house would be one issue less.”

“Considering the headaches you caused at Hogwarts for five years and the situation with your brother, it is not ideal for you to disappear for six months.”

“I did not disappear. I sent an owl and if you were worried I didn’t go to class, you could have contacted professor McGonagall.”

She interlocked her fingers in front of her. “We did actually.”

I only answered with my eyes, So?

She sighed with a subtle roll of the eyes. With her scrawny fingers grabbed a quill, inked it and made a final annotation on her parchment before rolling it with care.

“I assume you had time to take your O.W.Ls with your Curse breaking extracurriculars…” she threw, while putting away the paper and grabbing another one.

I wasn’t sure if she wanted to see the scroll or my word would be enough.

“Acceptable in history of magic and exceeded expectations in astronomy.”

She looked at me again with predicted disappointment.

“And the rest?”

“Outstanding.” I offered simply. She seemed satisfied as she resumed unrolling her parchment.

“Hm… Isn’t history interesting enough for your time?”

I managed to relax back into the chair and watched her grab the quill before resuming her writing.

“I prioritised potions. I wanted to be able to take the NEWTs classes. Professor Snape said he wouldn’t accept any other mark.”

“To do what, exactly? Last year was curse breaking, the prior potioneer, before that was teacher…”

“I’m still debating my options with professor Sprout. I’m really into herbology at the moment.”

The violin stopped abruptly. Aurora lifted a neatly plucked eyebrow at me. I hate I got that ability from her. She considered me for an uncomfortable while.

“Is that why you brought those earmuffs?”

Snitch, I accused Prim mentally.

“Yes.” I offered with confidence. She hummed again and focused her attention to her desk once more. I could sense her losing interest.

Waiting for her to do some remark about suitable careers for me, of how I should follow her path with Arithmancy since I seemed to pass my classes “with ease”, or try as soon as possible to insert myself into a position in the Ministry.

There was none.

“Go freshen up and change. The rest of the guests will arrive soon.”

I watched in disbelief how quickly she dismissed me. She didn’t lift her gaze when I stood up, nor when I crossed the room, and I could swear she wasn’t bothered when I closed the door behind me either.

With that taken care of, I hurried upstairs before Prim and the new guests that were crossing the magic barrier spotted me.

My bedroom was the last door to the right on the second floor, with views of the backyard. Although I mostly complained about the oppressive interior of the house, always packed with rugs, clocks, paintings, mirrors and fireplaces on every corner, my room was originally made for guests, so it was very much empty in comparison.

I finally could breathe when I leaned against the closed door. It’s not that I hadn’t enjoyed my stay at the burrow for the summer, or that I didn’t enjoy having Rowan and Penny as roommates, but I needed to come back here, despite having trouble admitting it.

All the furniture matched with the same dark wood: my canopy bed, now with green and gold bedding; the big armoire on the other side of it; and my favourite addition that I stole from my mother’s room, a cylinder desk with enough drawers and nooks for my trinkets and jewels.

I threw my bag on the bed to retrieve my earmuffs.

This was the moment of truth.

Borrowed from Sprout and modified by Flitwick as a favour, one that I would have to pay with duelling set-ups and dummy maintenance, the earmuffs would serve a crucial role in keeping my sanity intact.

I covered my ears and instantly felt a light buzzing, as if I was hearing a distant swarm of bees. The only problem was, I didn’t know if Nicholas would be able to get in my head or not. He was powerful, a master in legilimency; I doubted that a pair of old earmuffs would prevent him from reading me like a book. But at least it would be more difficult.

Even from the second floor, I could hear movement outside the building. I crossed the room, dug one knee on the built-in seat below the three big windows that showed the backyard and looked down.

Aurora’s silhouette skittered across the grovel path towards two men I couldn’t recognise. They towered over her, but it was clear who was in charge when she turned towards the house and they followed two steps behind her.

Closing the curtains, I stepped away from the window, thinking about what to do with my time. Aurora said to get ready for dinner, but the house was mostly empty, Nicholas wasn’t anywhere to be seen, and Mom and Dad hadn’t arrived yet. I figured I could read a bit before I was robbed of any kind of alone time.

I picked my wand from the handbag and crossed the room again to open the wardrobe. Big enough for two people to sit, that piece of furniture was originally at the end of the hallway, guarding my uncle’s flying brooms and quidditch balls before I claimed it for myself. Squeezing inside and pushing books and boxes away from me, I thought about how I just decorated my room with furniture no one wanted.

With the door closed, I sat with my knees to my chest, surrounded by darkness.

Lumos.

I immediately grabbed the book on top of the small tower I had made months ago, Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming by Mauricios Carneiros, one of the few volumes in this house’s shelves that was half interesting, and that’s saying a lot since I wasn’t particularly attracted to divination.

After finding a comfortable position, I started rereading Chapter 3 and soon I lost myself in the reading session.

I was about to finish the chapter when the creaking sound of my bedroom door made me look up. Attempting to listen, I could identify the sound of the door closing, and steps around the room.

I didn’t want to move a muscle, but I had to shake the wand slightly to turn it off.

I held my breath.

The steps got closer, silenced for a moment when they stepped over the rug, and reverberated again when they hit the wood once more.

I gripped my wand tighter.

The doors of the wardrobe flew open, and I hissed when my eyes met a new light that wasn’t my wand.

“Aha!”

Relief cursed through me when the figure kneeled down to reveal mom’s face. I threw my head back, resting it on the wood.

“I thought it was my last day.” I mumbled, pressing my palms to my eyes.

“You chose Carneiros to entertain yourself. Your reward is paranoia.” She said with sparkling eyes and the Irish tilt to her voice that I realised then I missed terribly. “And what is that?” She pointed at my earmuffs.

“Tell Aurora to renew her collection, then.” I replied, taking the earmuffs off.

I slithered out into mom’s open arms and closed my eyes when she squeezed me against her.

“How did you know I was here?” I asked against her black dress. She started caressing my back.

“Jacob used to hide in there, too.”

I let her hug me a little while, and I felt her need my embrace as well. My brother’s topic was still a delicate matter, cause of many fights among all the members of the family who all had different, and quite strong, opinions about Jacob’s whereabouts.

“Tell me everything about Belgium.”

“And you tell me everything about this Charlie person.”

I looked up petrified and found her teasing smirk.

“I wasn’t snooping. You just left your things all over your bed.”

I tsked. The bloody letter that said Charlie with a heart on it.

“Well…” She chuckled and started to get up.

“Come on. Let’s get you ready for dinner,” she sighed,  “It’s going to be a long night.”

--

[Next Chapter] >

[domaslut]

Clarice Charlotte Blackthrone & Chester Davies + drabble: “I think I’m in love with you”.

Hogwarts Mystery.

I think I am in love with you.

Warnings: fluff + some ravenclaws taunting Clarice about her family

Starring: Clarice Charlotte Blackthrone (mc) and Chester Davies + if you squint, jealous Felix

Plot: Chester confesses his feelings to Clarice

“What’s a slytherin doing around here?” a ravenclaw asked, pouring himself a glass of water.

“She’s probably up to something… – a girl quipped, rolling her eyes at the brunette sitting in front of them – I mean, you know who she is. I wonder if she has already received the mark. Have you ever heard about ‘The Dark Lord’s sons’? Well, they’re the Blackthrone!” she chortled, winking at her friend.

Clarice tensed, her nails scraping the wooden surface of the table in anger. She could not mess it up, not this time, not when Chester had kindly invited her to sit with him and his fellow ravenclaws for dinner. Although they had been friends for years, she had never sat beside him to consume a meal. Her usual companion was Felix, but now he was lost among the crowd of Slytherins, minding his own business. Still, while Felix would have probably let her jinx them, Chester discouraged her to solve her problems with a wand. He was just like Gwendolyn, her sister: rational, calm and kind.

“Hey, miss-I-know-it-all, rather foolish of you to talk shit about my family, when I’m literally here. – Clarice blurted out suddenly, locking eyes with her baffled interlocutor – I suggest you to shut up, unless you keen to see what a ‘death eater wannabe’ can do, huh?”.

Silence swallowed the once cheerful table. Curious and concerned glances landed on her, but she was used to it. People usually had two reactions at the sound of her voice: they either trembled, or walked away. This time, however, she felt the urge to leave. She tried to stand up, yet, a large hand grasped her shaking one under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She was not alone, he was right there.

“Finish up your soup, guys. We might join you for the dessert, alright?” Chester announced, inviting his Housemates to enjoy the rest of their meal and leave him deal with the situation, or better yet, with his jumpy guest.

Clarice rolled her eyes at him and tugged on his hand, leading him out of the Great Hall. Both the Slytherins and the Ravenclaws glowered at them, eyes transfixed on the weirdest friendship ever seen at Hogwarts. Even Felix shot an interrogative glance at them, however, he did not bother questioning his friends and he surely did not plan on doing it later. He felt uneasy at the thought of them spending time together, safe from prying eyes. It was better for him not to investigate.

When the door closed behind them with a dull thud, Clarice let go of his hand and a high-pitched scream of frustration erupted from her throat “They hate me! I’m so sick of it! What’s wrong with me? Why am I not worthy of a chance?” she choked out, stomping her foot aggressively on the floor.

“It’s like everybody thinks I’m a monster! And you know what’s the wrost part of it? – she spoke out again, eyes sparkling in tears – I wish I could tell them they’re wrong about my family, that what they’ve heard are just rumors… But it’s all true” she bewailed, running her fingers through her hair.

Chester sighed and tucked his hands into the pockets of his trousers “You are not a monster, not to me. I know who you are. You may share your parents’s blood and their name, but you are not going to follow their tracks”.

The brunette frowned, arms folded over her chest as she tried to collect herself “How? How do you know what’s going to happen in a few years, Chester? How can you say that? How did you see past the person I am?” she exhorted him, staring at her wise friend inquiringly.

Chester shrugged and hesitantly approached her shaking frame, soft coffee hues boring into her colorful ones. Oh, she was all nerves and he knew it because the charm she had put on her natural blue irises was slowly fading away, leaving the characteristic baby-blue pools on display.

“I might suck at divination, but you are not a bad person. You are not a murderer” he pointed out, a soft smile tugging the angles of his lips up.

“Not yet” she scoffed, burying her face onto his chest.

She felt his breath hitch, just as she heard his heartbeat speed up when her cheek settled right above his heart. Her long fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt and she batted her eyes closed in defeat. How was it that every single time she had a break down he was right behind her to put her pieces back together?

“Would you still love me, if I became a Death Eater?” she whispered then, trying her best not to let some tears spill out. He had seen her crying countless time, but she hated doing in public places, where people could easily figure out her weaknesses and take advantage of them.

‘Feelings are weapons’ she told herself.

It took a moment for her best friend to say something, but he propped his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. He had hugged her a million times, but the feelings he was experiencing in that very moment were boyond the affection and sympathy he had always felt for her. It was weird and unsettling, in a wicked and good way. It was love.

“I would love you anyway. – he started, cheeks flushing up in a vivid shade of red – Oh, blood hell, Clarice. I think… Ugh, we have a problem” he blurted out, panicking.

Her eyes snapped open as she took a step back and reached for her wand, however, when her eyes landed on him she realised that ‘the problem’ was not a passing by meddler, but him. She blinked, lips parted and head cocked she quirked her eyebrows up.

“Care to explain, Davies?” she chimed, slightly embarrassed by her own reaction.

“I think…” he tried to say, mouth dry as he rubbed the back of his neck in distress. Why was it so hard trying to confess his feelings to her, the girl he had grown up with, the girl he wished to keep by his side for the rest of his life.

“Chester!” she pressed, snapping her fingers ij front of his eyes.

“I think I’m in love with you!”.

A confession, a simple line shouted in a desert corridor of the famous wizarding school left two young people staring at each others in pure abashment. Did Chester Davies truly loved her? No one liked her and, not only he seemed to get along with her and ignored the inheritance she was going to carry on her shoulders, but he also, actually fucking loved her.

Her eye twitched and he held his breath in anxiety, waiting for her to say something. However, he should have known better than she was the type to make a move instead of talking. Before he could realise what was happening, she tiptoed to him and captured his lips with hers. An intense, desperate, first kiss indeed. Her hands cupped his face and she backed him to the wall, proving any man possibly watching them that she was not the girl who sat idly waiting for a kiss.

She was always in control. If she wanted a kiss, she was going to take one.

Chester smiled against her lips and, once they parted, he shook his head in amusement “That was one Hell of a kiss, Merlin’s beard”.

She blushed but grinned at him “Oh, but you’ve not seen anything at all yet. Tonight I’m sleeping over”.

Chester gawked and was about to reply something, but she cut him off with a quick kiss “Ah-ah-ah, don’t you dare giving me a lecture about how reckless it is to break rules… – she trailed off, winking at him – And chill, for God’s sake, I’m a nerd too, you know? We’re going to read all night long, alright? Now, I’m hungry again. See you, Davies”.

And in a nick of time, she was gone, back into the Great Hall and he was alone in a corridor, as red as a pepper with his heart running a marathon into his chest.

AUTHOR NOTE.

Hello there! This is dedicated to the lovely @fantasywriter19 because she likes Clarice and Chester❤️ By the way, I just hope you enjoy this!

THE EDIT ABOVE IS MINE! IF YOU WANT TO REPOST IT, GIVE ME CREDITS. AND I KNOW THAT GUY IS ROGER DAVIES, CHESTER’S YOUNGER BROTHER, BUT FUCK IT, HE IS MY CHESTER.

[hphmmatthewluther]

The Phantom Woes of Matthew Luther: Part 1

It’s time, at last! This story features:

Verna Malinda ( @gaygryffindorgal​ ) Camille Jeanes ( @camillejeaneshphm​ ) Rosie Mayfield ( @magicapandora​ )

As well as characters from:

@stupendousbookworm​ @catohphm​ @nelabelievesindragons​ @endlessly-cursed​

The Phantom Woes of Matthew Luther

 “Matthew Luther hasn’t come out of Ravenclaw Common Room at all recently, and his friends and quidditch teammates are starting to worry. With the help of the Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts, can you find out what’s happened to both Matthew and Helena Ravenclaw without being spirited away yourself?”

 Part 1/4 : Bring the Boy Back Home

 To think the weekend had started out so normally. Just like always, a smallish crowd of students had gathered at the Quidditch Stadium to watch whichever team had managed to book a spot first practice for their upcoming matches. Today, it was the blue-clad Ravenclaw team who had taken to the air, under the ever-watchful eye of captain Orion Amari. But Eagle-Eyed watchers might have noticed that there was one less player out on (or rather, above) the pitch. The first to notice was, naturally enough, a quidditch player herself. Verna Malinda, fifth-year Gryffindor and chaser for her house’s team, frowned at the players overhead. She saw the seeker, the beaters and the keeper, who she recognised as Ara Black. However, only two chasers were in play, the captain, and Skye Parkin…so that begged the question:

 “Where’s Mathieu?” came a hushed voice from behind Verna. Turning around, she saw the worried face of Camille Jeanes, one of her dormmates. She too was looking up and frowning, but more nervous than perplexed.

“You noticed too, then?” Verna asked, causing Camille to jump in her seat.

“Eep! V-Verna, sorry, didn’t see you there…” she began, taking a second to calm down. “What were you saying?”

“You noticed that Luther isn’t up there practising.” Verna explained, leaning back on the bench. “You’re pretty close with him, know what’s wrong?”

Camille shook her head. “He wasn’t at breakfast either…I’m worried…”

Verna nodded, frowning. “I’m sure it’s nothing too bad. Maybe he’s got the flu. Or overslept.”

 Just then, Andre Egwu, Ravenclaw’s seeker, slowed down overhead, talking to Orion before descending. Verna listened intently, and picked up part of the conversation

“-might be able to help with Curse-Breaker-”

Curse-Breaker, the two thought. One look between them and they both knew. Andre’s nickname for none other than Matthew Luther.

“Come on, let’s see what he’s up to.” Verna said, a sudden determination in her eyes.

“Really?” Camille asked, following her out of the quidditch stands, “I wouldn’t want to be worrying over nothing…though I do that a lot…”

Verna chuckled. “You sound a fair bit like Matthew, no wonder you two get along so well.”

 They headed down through the stands, watching as Andre appeared, placing his broom to the side. He watched as someone else came up to the stadium. They were wearing a fully pink/white ensemble: pink heels, patterned pink-and-white skirt, a fluffy pink jacket that stopped at their waist, and a thin white scarf. Unfortunately for Verna and Camille, while Andre hadn’t noticed them, the person in pink most certainly had.

 “Hey guys!” Rosie Mayfield said, waving and smiling brightly. Andre twisted around and blinked in surprise at the two, who had gone as red as their house colours at being found out. “You here about Matty too?” they asked.

Camille opened her mouth and closed it a few times, but it was Verna who finally spoke up. “Y-Yeah…” she said, moving ever-so-slightly closer, “we…saw he’s not at practice.”

Andre sighed, nodding in confirmation. “Yeah. I was only asking Rosie to see if they knew anything I didn’t…you two haven’t seen him recently then?”

The question seemed more directed at Camille, which Verna supposed was fair. Everyone knew those two were like brother and sister. Millie and Matt, an inseparable duo.

 Camille shook her head. “No, that’s why I was here, I was hoping I’d see him, but…” she trailed off, looking like she was about to cry. Rosie placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, it’s ok, Millie.” They said, “It’s not like we don’t know where he is, since Andre’s in the same dorm with him, so…” they turned to look at him, gesturing at Camille.

“Right! Sorry, yes, darling, it’s ok, Matt’s up in Ravenclaw Tower, in his dormitory…” his smile faded slightly, “...which is the problem.”

Millie sniffed, wiping her eyes. “Wh…what do you mean?”

 Before Andre could say anymore, one of the reserve Chasers and Orion Amari appeared.

“Hey! We need you on the pitch!” the other Chaser said. Andre groaned.

“Sorry, I was-”

“It is quite alright, Andre.” Orion said, sighing, “You have done what you can for Matthew. It’s out of your hands for now, and so we must now prepare for our next role in these events.”

 Andre nodded, slightly confused by his captain’s words, but said his goodbyes to the others and followed the reserve chaser out from the stands. Orion turned to follow them, but briefly turned back.

“All of Ravenclaw House is worried about what’s happened. You will need to talk to them to continue on the path you’ve chosen.” he said matter-of-factly.

“That…doesn’t make any sense.” Camille said, very much confused.

Orion just smiled. “Has the path chosen by Matthew Luther ever made sense?”

Verna clicked her tongue. Orion was being even more opaque and cryptic than usual. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Captain!” the reserve chaser yelled. Orion remained unfazed, waved to the three, and left.

 ***

It wasn’t until lunchtime that day that Camille, Rosie and Verna were finally able to talk to the Ravenclaws.

“Did either of you know what Andre was going on about?” Verna said, stepping into the Great Hall, “stuff about “paths” and that.”

Camille shrugged. “I don’t know…sorry.”

Rosie pondered this. “Maybe…maybe he’s asking us to do something about this? He doesn’t seem to think anyone else can.”

They came up to the Ravenclaw tower, where most people were reading while eating, taking care not to leave any crumbs on the pages of their books. Camille scanned the table. She saw Cato Reese eating a sandwich and reading a book on Charms, Coraline Wytte passing the water jug to Isabelle Dubois, but no sign of Matthew Luther.

 At that moment, Rosie decided to take the initiative and actually ask someone. They walked over to where Tulip was and smiled.

“Oh, hey guys!” she began, “Mind if I ask you guys some things? It’d be a real big help!” Camille and Verna watched in awe as Rosie worked their magic, Camille noticing one of the other students next to Tulip going bright pink at how near he was to them. Before long, Rosie beckoned the others over. “Ok…so, what’s up with Matty?”

 Tulip looked up at them, looking unsure where to begin. “Matthew Luther’s been up in Ravenclaw Tower for a while. None of us thought much of it at first, sometimes he needs a bit of alone time, but this is…definitely the longest he’s been like this. Normally Helena Ravenclaw’s able to convince him to talk to someone about it by now…”

The three non-Ravenclaws looked slightly confused. “Helena?”

Tulip rolled her eyes. “You know…the Grey Lady. The Ravenclaw ghost?” At last, they nodded in understanding. “Well, yeah. Matthew Luther and her are pretty close. The amount of times he’s accidentally called her mum, honestly…”

 Camille suddenly looked rather annoyed. “What’s so wrong with that, exactly?” she said a little louder than she expected.

“...Nothing, Camille Jeanes.” Tulip replied, looking rather guilty. “But…yeah, that’s what’s happened. The problem is of course that it’s not like it was back in year 2. He’s got prefect duties and that quidditch match is coming up. Matthew Luther can’t afford to be up in his room like that.”

The boy who had gone bright pink, and seemed unable to meet Rosie’s eyes, finally spoke up. “Y-you could um…try going to see him yourselves…”

 Verna considered all of this. She knew that if she flaked on her duties as both chaser and prefect, it would really mess things up. Something had to be happening with Matt. Something more than a sulk.  “That’d be nice, but we’re not exactly allowed in other house dorms, are we?”

The boy continued. “Actually, um…there’s no rule like that for Ravenclaw. If you can get past the riddle you’re allowed in.”

 Rosie grinned. “That’s it! That’s what we’ll do!” they declared, smiling at the boy. “Thanks so much for letting us know, um…”

“...V-Victor.” he said, scratching under his jumper’s turtleneck.

“Victor! You’re the best! I owe ya one!” They said, winking, before turning to the others. “Right! Shall we?”

Camille nodded, looking slightly more determined than before. “We’ve got a path ahead of us, um…it would seem.”

 Verna chuckled. “Yeah, there’s something about all this…best to figure out what the hell’s going on.”

Rosie brought their hands together excitedly. “That’s the spirit! Let’s wolf down our lunch and head on up there!”. The three did just that, and as they left passed by the quidditch team as they left the Great Hall, Andre giving them a silent thank-you, Orion nodding at them knowingly, and that reserve chaser not even acknowledging them. Camille looked behind her and saw him staring back at them, scowling.

 ***

Their journey up to Ravenclaw Tower was quiet for the most part, with most people eating lunch in the Great Hall, but they stopped in their tracks when they got close to the entrance of the Tower.

“Hear that?” Verna asked, glancing to and fro. It sounded like stomping and yelling coming from up ahead. The three drew their wands in preparation.

“What could it be…?” Camille wondered aloud. She was sure she recognised that voice, but it was muffled by the castle walls so she couldn’t fully make it out. When they opened the next door, they saw the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower, made of dark oak wood with a bronze eagle statue as a door knocker. A few feet away, looking rather like a caged tiger with a toothache, was none other than Merula Snyde.

 “Stupid door!” she hissed, “that’s barely even a riddle!”

The bronze eagle looked at her, expressionless. “Is that your final answer?”

“Of course not you damn fool! Just let me-” she would have most likely kept ranting if it weren’t for her noticing Verna (who rolled her eyes in exasperation), Camille (who looked almost angry that she was here) and Rosie (who was holding in a laugh).

“...Malinda? Jeanes? Mayfield?” Merula said, her confusion causing her to calm down. “What in the name of Merlin are you doing here?”

 Verna crossed her arms. “We could ask you the same thing.” Camille repeated the gesture. Rosie, however, seemed to know her reason for being here already.

“Aw, were you worried about Matt?” Rosie asked, trying not to smirk. “That’s so sweet…” Verna looked at them, confused, as Millie began to understand. Merula went pink in the face.

“Shut up! It’s not like that!” she snapped. “I was just…well…I have prefect duty with him, see…”

Rosie was bouncing on their toes at this point. “Eee! You have prefect duty together! That’s the cutest thing ever!”

 Camille, too, was beginning to smile. “Aw, ‘rula, you should have said-”

“Do not test me, Jeanes…”

Verna, meanwhile, was still slightly confused. “Wait…are they-” Come to think of it, they had gone to the Celestial Ball together, and had dinner at Madam Puddifoot once, and were often seen talking to each other a lot more than rivals usually did-

“Oh wow.” Verna said finally, “You sure know how to pick ‘em, don’t you Snyde-”

“What is that supposed to mean?!-”

At that moment, the Eagle cleared its bronze throat. “Do you have an answer to my riddle?”

 The four looked at each other. “Can we hear it first, pretty please?” Rosie asked, still smiling at Merula, who was fiddling with the strap of her satchel, staring at the floor.

The eagle nodded, and began to recite:

“What can go around the wood but never go inside the wood?”

There was a brief silence as they thought it over. Verna was the first to think aloud. “Around the wood…but not inside…what sort of…”

Rosie frowned. “Ugh, riddles are the worst sometimes.”

Merula nodded. “Luther told me that half the time the answer on the door is just “a river”, but I have a feeling that’s not it this time…”

“Could it be?” “No, you’re barking up the wrong tree there.”

 Camille looked up. “Of course! Um, I think I might have it…maybe…”

Rosie squealed in joy. “You do?!” Merula, too, had a smile on her face. “Say it! Go on!”

“O-Ok, um…” Camille turned to face the bronze eagle. “What goes around the wood but never inside the wood…the bark of a tree!...right?”

There was a brief nothing, which was full of all the fear in the world for Camille, but it passed, and the door creaked open.

 “YES!” Verna yelled, punching the air. “Nice one, Millie!” Rosie cheered, and Camille felt a little shell-shocked. “I…I did it!”

Even Merula was grinning in relief. “You sure did! You’re not just a pretty face, huh?”

 Before Camille could respond to that, Merula rushed into the Common Room. “Let’s go!” Rosie exclaimed, the three following after the Slytherin Prefect, past several shelves of books and up several staircases until they came to the boy’s dormitory.

 Most of the doors had been opened by the students leaving that morning, and only one remained shut. Merula was staring at it, playing with her satchel’s straps again.

“Well? Gonna knock?” Rosie asked, gesturing to the door.

“Of course! I just…” she said, trailing off. Seemingly understanding, Verna stepped forward and knocked thrice. “H-Hey! Matthew?! I-It’s us!”

“Mathieu? You ok?”

“Luther, what’s happening in there?”

“It’s alright Matty, we’re here to help!”

 There was the sound of shuffling from inside the dormitory.

Merula was quickly losing patience, but it was more out of worry than anything else. “Alright, that does it! Hope you’re decent, Luther! Alohomora!”

There was a clack, and the door started opening. The shuffling inside intensified, before there was a thump noise. The group entered the room and, half-on half-off of the furthest bed, was a tall boy with green eyes, pyjama trousers, a dressing gown, and an incredibly serious case of bed hair. Verna would later say of it that it looked more like a hedgehog than Merula’s hair normally did.

 Matthew Luther seemed frozen in fear, his mouth opening and closing a couple of times. The fear seemed to morph into what could only be described as shame as he nervously spun his silver bracelet around his wrist. “...H-Hey guys…I-...I’m sorry, I…”

Camille sighed, looking him up and down “Oh, Mathieu…”

“There’s no need to apologise.” Rosie reassured him, “We just wanted to check up on you.”

Verna nodded in agreement. “Yeah, no need to worry, really.” Merula, meanwhile, walked across the dormitory so she was standing right in front of him.

 “...You look terrible.” Merula said, smiling in spite of herself. “That…wasn’t a good way to start, um-”

“N-No, it’s ok…not like you’re wrong, is it…” Matthew said, shrugging “I um…don’t you guys have lessons?”

“Luther, it’s Saturday.”

“It is?! Oh, thank god, I thought I’d been in bed for the whole weekend…”

“Wait, you thought it was Monday?”

“Well, yeah, and I thought I’d overslept for Charms, and that really made me feel bad, and…yeah.”

The three others watched, slightly gobsmacked. “It’s like they’ve forgotten we’re here, isn’t it?” Verna whispered.

Camille nodded. “He definitely seems to have brightened up quickly…but that’s a good thing, right?”

Rosie finally cleared their throat when it looked like Merula was about to try flattening his hair down with her hand. “Sorry, it’s just…well, we were wondering how we could help.”

Camille nodded. “Mm, we’d like to see you around again, Mathieu.”

 Matthew sighed, sitting down on his bed. “Y-Yeah, I just…” he sniffed, trying to steady himself. “It’s…about Helena. She’s…gone.”

The four looked at each other. “When you say…gone…” Verna began, scratching her temple.

“I don’t know what’s happened. She’s nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere for her…she’s…I don’t know if she’s left…or…she’s…something’s happened to her…or she…a…ab-...”

Merula placed her hand on his shoulder. “You thought she’d abandoned you.”

Matthew nodded. “I know she’d never, but…that fear that she had…that I didn’t have her anymore because of something I did…”

 Verna sighed. “A missing ghost…” she wondered what it’d be like if Nearly Headless Nick went missing. Slightly more quiet feasts, but definitely an outcry to find out just what had happened.

Rosie sat down on the other side of Matt (Merula was on the other side, her hand still firmly on his shoulder) “Ok…tell you what. You want to find out what’s happened with Helena, right?” When Matthew nodded, they continued, “So: we can help you find out what’s happened with Helena, but you gotta help us, and help yourself, by getting out of this dorm again. Does that sound doable?” they asked, no form of belittling or patronising present in their voice. Matthew looked at Merula, smiled, before turning back to Rosie.

“A-Alright. I’ll try. Promise.”

 “That’s all we ask.” They replied, getting up. “Ok! First off, let’s get you some actual clothes…”

Merula rolled her eyes, “We’ll be here a while, then…” she whispered.

Camille smiled at Matt, happy to see her baby brother again, while Verna peered out the window. Though it was daytime, the moon hovered in the sky above the quidditch grounds, tinted blue as the sun shone overhead. She wondered silently just what she’d gotten herself into as Rosie came in with multiple sets of clothes for Matthew to choose from, insisting that he could do with more designer clothes in his wardrobe.

[struckbyelectriclove]

Her figure looms over her, the lights of the vault dully flickering behind her back and casting sinister shadows that almost obscure her face. 

But Kat knows who she is. She’d never forget her until the day she died. 

Her lips pull back to reveal too-white teeth flashing a smile at her that would have sent shudders through her if she could move at all. Her former professor brandishes her wand and levels it between her eyes. 

The scream turns into a wail.

There’s a bright flash, and then nothing at all.

_ _

GAME OVER

Reset?

>Yes >No

Please input passcode: 

>”1984”

Deleting saved data, please do not turn off the power.

_ _

[fischerfrey]

HPHM SUMMER CAMP AU: CHAPTER 3

Summary: Muggle!AU. Verna stumbles upon a secret and a party.

Pairings: OC/Merula Snyde, background OC/Bill Weasley, and others as the story progresses

Word count: 1.8k

Warnings: Alcohol

A/N: I’m not a horror writer so this might be a complete mess. Also I did zero research for this and I refuse to be held accountable for any camp-related falsehoods I might perpetuate.

MCs used:

Colette Belrose by @gcldensnitch

Jules Farrier by @cursebreakerfarrier

Indigo Silverwood by @indigobackfire

more to be added in future chapters!

Previous / Next

[From the Beginning]

Chapter 3

That night, Verna was walking back to her cabin from the showers. She was still in a sour mood after what had happened with Merula. She knew that if she hadn’t hit Merula, maybe the camp director would’ve taken her accusation more seriously but sometimes she couldn’t control her temper. Penny had been in a state when she returned from the main building. She had been sure Verna would get fired but when Verna told the others that instead she got paired up with Merula as counsellors, they all seemed to agree that that was an even worse punishment. She was annoyed, sure, but not as annoyed as she would’ve been if she’d lost the job.

~

It had gotten dark while Verna had been trying to wash her hair, and Penny had already headed back earlier to get ready for a little bonfire meetup amongst the counsellors. She shone her torch around to see where she was going. The sounds of the forest were somehow louder this late, once most of the day-time noise was reduced to minimum. It was a bit of a trek back to their cabin. The cabins were built a good distance from each other and from the main building to apparently give off an authentic experience but right now Verna really hoped it would be a bit closer. Suddenly she heard movement from the direction of the woods to her left. She peered towards the sound but saw nothing. Against her will, the story Charlie had told the first night came to her mind. This really was the perfect place to scare kids out of their mind. And unwitting camp counsellors as well, apparently.

“Hello?” she called, and the sound started to resemble footsteps. Verna resolved to follow. It was probably just some of the other counsellors messing around, but she didn’t want to take the chance that there was an intruder. Shutting off her torchlight, she left the path and, as silently as she could, followed the sound.

~

For a while the footsteps continued without a pause, and then came to a sudden stop. Verna hid behind a huge tree and waited. Seconds later she saw the person she’d been following step out into her field of vision, accompanied by someone else. Verna wasn’t sure if there’d been two of them all along, or if they were meeting out here. The pale moonlight shining through the canopy didn’t illuminate enough of the forest for Verna to make any sort of guess as to who these people were. She thought for a moment that the one she’d originally being following was wearing a camp counsellor t-shirt. She nearly breathed a sigh of relief and started to head back, when she heard something that made the hairs on her neck stand up.

“Something’s different this year,” a voice was saying. Maybe a girl’s. She was whispering. “That girl almost drowned and it’s not even the end of orientation yet.”

Another voice replied, also in a hushed whisper: “Something must’ve gone wrong.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” the first one spoke again. Verna dared to peek from behind her tree ever so slightly more to see who were talking. In her eagerness to have confirmation, she stepped on a twig, which snapped in half a little too loudly in the quiet forest. The two people immediately looked her way, and Verna, not wanting to get caught eavesdropping, hid completely behind the tree again. She heard two sets of footsteps beginning to close in and so she made a decision to run for it. Neither of the shady people had a torch so they might not be able to tell it was her. She was also fast, and she knew it. She could make it back to her cabin using a detour to set her pursuers on the wrong trail.

~

It had seemed like a good plan at first, but after running for what felt like several minutes and still having not had made it out of the woods, she begun to think she was lost. On a positive note, she didn’t hear anyone following after her anymore. She stopped to catch her breath and look around, still not daring to switch her torch back on. Had those really been counsellors? And what the hell had they been talking about? There was something deeply unsettling about it’s not even the end of orientation yet. Verna shivered, even though it was a warm night. At random, she chose a direction and begun to walk towards it. She had no idea where she was, but soon she started to hear music. She headed towards it, hoping it came from one of the buildings at the camp. She had not walked for long, when she saw firelight, and heard people talking and laughing. When she emerged from the forest into a small clearing, it was packed with people chatting, dancing, and drinking beer. For a few seconds she was taken aback by all the noise and excitement that she didn’t notice Colette and Rowan heading her way.

“Verna! Where have you been?” Colette asked, throwing a hand around her shoulder. Verna was suddenly very self-conscious about her shower-damp hair and the soggy towel she was still holding.

“We tried to find you from the showers when you didn’t come back,” Rowan said.

“Oh, I just got lost, I think…” Verna muttered.

“Are you okay?” asked Rowan.

Verna didn’t know what exactly to say. Rowan and Colette seemed to be having fun and she didn’t feel like spoiling their night by sharing something that might’ve been nothing in the first place.

“Well, you’re here now! Jules is around somewhere, I saw her earlier with Charlie and Bill,” Colette continued when Verna didn’t make a reply.

“Penny invited us all here and then almost stayed behind herself,” added Rowan.

“Weird,” Verna said absent-mindedly.

“She’s a stickler to rules, but maybe she’ll come around during the summer…” Colette mused and then started to drag Verna towards the cooler bag holding a bunch of beer bottles.

~

Several hours and beers later, Verna had pretty much convinced herself that what she saw in the forest was her imagination playing tricks on her. She was sitting on a big rock, talking to Charlie and Jules, when Merula and her dark-haired friend appeared into the clearing. They were both dressed for the party, as well as one could in the middle of nowhere, too. The other two noticed Verna staring.

“I can’t believe you punched her,” Charlie said, but he sounded impressed.

“She deserved it for messing with Rowan,” said Jules.

Verna turned her eyes back to her friends and grinned. “Glad to be of service!”

“No but seriously, the way she acts like she owns this camp is ridiculous,” continued Jules. “She has to be over eighteen to be a counsellor here, right?”

“She’s nineteen, I asked Penny,” Verna explained.

“I guess some people never get over secondary school…” Charlie mused and took a swig from his beer.

~

Verna wound up dancing with Indigo and Colette for so long her feet ached and she felt dizzy. The three girls looked for somewhere to sit and Verna walked straight into someone while not looking. That someone being Gael from Charlie’s cabin. He spilled some of his beer all over his t-shirt, and gave Verna an annoyed look.

“Hey, do you mind?” he asked, irritably.

“Oh, whoops, sorry…” Verna said and heard giggles from Indigo and Colette behind her.

“For fuck’s sake…” Gael muttered, clearly not impressed by the situation.

“Oh c’mon, she said she was sorry,” Colette interjected. “And it’s a party, after all!”

“A shitty party,” replied Gael and left without another word. Verna turned around to the other two and they all burst out laughing.

“That was awkward,” said Indigo.

“It’s the first week and I’ve already made like, three enemies,” Verna laughed.

“Merula, Gael, and…?” asked Colette

“The other girl, Merula’s friend.”

“Ooh, you mean Ismelda,” Indigo realized. “She and Merula seem to be doing everything together so that checks out.”

“Ismelda. I have to remember that,” Verna said. “I’ve been calling her The Dark-haired One in my head this entire time.”

They burst into giggles again, and Verna had the vague feeling that none of this would’ve been half as funny if they hadn’t been emptying beer bottles left and right. She wondered where the beer had even come from, as it was sternly forbidden. It was probably better if she didn’t know.

~

It was nearly 2am, when Verna and Colette saw it fit to start heading back. Rowan had left shortly after midnight, but Jules must’ve still been around. The girls split up to look for her, and after ten or so minutes Verna found her deep in conversation with a certain Head Counsellor. Neither seemed to notice her.

“Hey,” she said cheerily, as she walked up to them. Jules and Bill looked up. “Am I interrupting something?” Verna asked, just to be a bit of a twat.

“No, not at all!” Bill said bashfully.

“I just thought I’d let Jules here know that Colette and I are heading back.”

“Okay,” said Jules. She didn’t seem that drunk or ready to leave yet. “I’ll stay for a bit.”

“Gotcha,” Verna replied and started to head back to look for Colette. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” she called back to the two.

“Shut up Verna,” Jules laughed back.

It didn’t take as long to find Colette, who had forgotten all about finding Jules, and was instead talking to Jae Kim from cabin six. Verna rolled her eyes, amused. “Ready princess?” she asked Colette.

“Oh, hi! Yeah,” Colette exclaimed. “Did you find Jules?”

Verna nodded. “Hi Jae,” she said to the boy.

“Hi Verna,” Jae replied politely enough, though he didn’t seem particularly thrilled to be interrupted.

“Sorry Jae, gotta go. Good night,” said Colette and Verna echoed her. Then the pair headed away from the clearing towards their cabin. Verna didn’t have her torch or her towel with her anymore and wondered where they had gotten to, but she was too lazy to turn around and get them.

“Hey Verna?” Colette asked after a while.

“Mm?”

“I left my torch at the clearing…”

“Motherfuck---”

“It’s fine, we can make it,” Colette said and continued on with determination.

“We’re going to fall and break our necks,” Verna laughed, jogging after her.

“Oh, that would be really bad.”

“Yeah, very bad indeed.”

“Do you think that Penny’s cute?” asked Colette, changing the subject on the fly.

“Uhh, does it have something to do with breaking necks?”

“Oh no,” Colette said, giggling. “I just think she’s pretty.”

“Yeah, sure,” Verna agreed. “She is.”

Colette, seemingly satisfied with the answer, started to sing something in French under her breath and Verna tried to focus on staying upright. As they walked through the deepest, densest part of the forest the path ran through, she could’ve sworn she saw someone or something from the corner of her eye. But when she stopped to look, there was nothing there. In the end, both girls made it back to the cabin without an incident and as quietly as they could, crawled to their bunks.

[the-al-chemist]

Human Errors

I’m publishing this story as part of @hphm-ship-week, for the prompt “Second Wizarding War”. I actually wrote the first draft of this about three years ago. It came to me after reading an online discourse about how people should know better as they get older than to make mistakes. Perhaps this is true, but it isn’t the case. To err is human. We never stop making mistakes. We are all mainly making it all up as we go along.

With that in mind, this story is for anyone who has ever made the realisation that they’ve gotten to the point where they thought they’d know it all, but still feel like they don’t know anything. Welcome to the club.

Warnings: mentions of death, war, grief, trauma and PTSD.

Dragon wasn’t usually allowed on the bed. He had his own basket in the kitchen, where the stone floor was cool in the summer, and the oven warm in the winter. His master did let him into the bedroom occasionally, but even then he was expected to lie on the rug. It was a special occasion when he was permitted to go “up”.

In the last few days, though, there had been a lot of special occasions. One each night, and every morning. Either that, or this newcomer was just a bit more lenient than his master was. He didn’t really care what the reason was, however. He was just happy to make the most of it.

A creak on the bottom step this morning made Dragon roll off his back and onto his belly, which his honorary packmate had been scratching for him a few seconds earlier. He let out a low growl.

“It’s just me, Dragon.” As his master’s voice called up the stairs, Dragon stopped growling, and wagged his two tails. “Am I alright to come up?”

The female human moved beside Dragon so that she was more upright. “Yeah.”

Dragon’s master smiled as he reached the top of the staircase, carrying what looked like two narrow, tall water bowls.

“You’re taking liberties again,” Charlie muttered as he sat on the end of the bed. He passed Artemis one of the mugs of tea and added for her benefit, “Him, not you.”

“I guessed as much,” replied Artemis, taking the mug from him. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I thought that if I was going to wake you up, I should at least bring you tea.”

“I was already awake.”

“Right.” Charlie inclined his head and took a sip from his tea, regarding Artemis over the top of the mug. She had yet to drink, and was instead staring at the wall opposite the bed, chewing the inside of her gum and tapping one finger against her own mug. “You know, you don’t have to wait for it to cool down. It’s not actually that hot.”

Artemis said nothing. Charlie tried not to sigh as she continued to ignore the drink in her hands. She had been in this state for four days now, ever since he had awoken to the sound of banging at his front door and opened it to find her on his doorstep unannounced, broomstick in hand and completely bedraggled.

He had known immediately that something was very, very wrong. She had clearly flown to the reserve overnight — and that wasn’t exactly a short journey to make — and from the grimly panicked expression on her face, she’d done so out of shock and desperation. If that wasn’t enough, the fact that she couldn’t even find the words to tell him what the matter was when he asked her paid testament to how shaken she was.

It took a lot to shake Artemis Hexley.

It wasn’t until after he’d arrived late for his shift and been remonstrated for it by his boss Magda that he found out what the reason was behind Artemis’ unexpected arrival. It was all anyone was talking about: the death of one of the competitors during the final challenge of the Triwizard Tournament. His heart sank further when he learned the name of the victim.

Diggory. Cedric Diggory. No wonder Artemis was in such a state.

He had decided to act as if he hadn’t heard about Cedric’s death. Knowing Artemis — which he did, very well — there wasn’t much point in forcing her to talk about it. She’d speak when she was ready. In the meantime, he’d just have to wait, and hope that he’d not have to wait too long.

That morning, though, he had received a letter from his family in England that had made him rethink this strategy. The news they’d sent was… strange. Strange, terrifying, and overwhelming.

There was a growing pit of uneasiness in his core as he considered his next move. Somehow, though, he managed to force a smile and a tone of voice that could almost pass for cheerful.

“I was just thinking,” he said, scratching Dragon the Crup behind his light brown ears, “that maybe this morning you’d like to come for a walk with me and Dragon, before it gets too hot.”

Artemis’ answer was simple: “No, thank you.”

“Or we could go for a fly after breakfast?” Charlie persisted, smiling in spite of Artemis’ blank stare and his own feelings of dread and fear. “I just think it might be good for you to do something other than sit in my bed all day, that’s all.”

Artemis’ eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips as she slowly turned her head towards him.

“Is that your way of saying you want your bed back?”

“No. Not at all, I just thought you could do with getting some fresh air and a change of scenery. Maybe even eat a vegetable, and have a shower.”

Artemis frowned, and sniffed herself in a way that was almost subtle — subtle for her, at least. Charlie’s smile became entirely genuine for a few moments, before it faded. He wasn’t getting anywhere with this. He didn’t want to, but he was going to have to push the subject.

“I got a letter from Dad this morning,” he said, not sure even as he spoke how this conversation was going to go. Judging from the way Artemis had already stiffened, it was unlikely to go well. “He was talking about some stuff that happened after the last challenge, and it was a bit confusing. From what he said, it sounded like you might know what he was going on about, so I figured that I should probably just ask you about it.”

A tense silence hung in the room. Artemis shook her head.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, eventually, her voice quiet and hoarse.

“Yeah, I know, but I just want to understand what… it doesn’t make any sense, what Dad’s written. His letter says that You-Know-Who… that he’s back,” Charlie frowned, and Artemis shuddered. “Is it true?”

Artemis merely nodded in response. Charlie swallowed, hard.

“And Cedric?”

“He’s gone,” Artemis closed her eyes. “He was killed.”

“In the challenge?”

“By… him.”

Charlie swore under his breath, and ran a hand through his hair.

“How? Why?” he asked, his voice catching with both one-word questions. “What happened?”

“The Cup. It was turned into a Portkey, transported Cedric out of the maze. Your brother’s friend, too,” Artemis still hadn’t opened her eyes. “Apparently there was a duel and some Death Eaters, and You-Know-Who. Alive. They came back and Cedric was… Everyone was screaming, and crying, and then there was all this chaos, and there was a Death Eater spy at Hogwarts. I saw Dumbledore afterwards and he told me all of it. I didn’t know what to do, so I came here.”

Charlie had to force himself not to put his arms around her. His chest tight from the gravity of the news and aching for his friend’s sake, he drew a shallow, almost painful breath before speaking again.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know how.”

That was fair enough, he supposed. The whole situation was so bizarre and terrible that it was hard to know what to think, let alone how to talk about it. Still, he wished she had told him. This was important, after all.

“That’s alright,” he said, with a shrug. Artemis shook her head.

“No, it’s not. I should have told you.”

“You didn’t know how. I wouldn’t have known how to say it either, it’s so—”

“That’s not…” Artemis drew a shaky breath and pulled her knees into her chest. “I just didn’t want you to hate me.”

“I could never.”

“Not even if it was all my fault?”

Charlie frowned, and Artemis lifted her hazel eyes to meet his. They had a sincere expression and were almost tear-filled. Though Charlie doubted that Artemis could have actually caused this horrific turn of events, it was obvious that she thought she had.

“Try me,” he said, with a sad smile. Artemis sighed.

“I… it was really busy that morning, getting things ready and everything. Bagman was being useless as always, so I was running around like mad, and I was already not quite… Well, I had a stressful evening the night before. It’s not important, not anymore.”

Charlie’s eyes drifted to her knees, where her hands were resting, the tips of her bare fingers digging into her legs. Artemis, either by instinct, having caught Charlie looking, or sensing that he was looking, shifted the position of her hands, so that the right covered the left. Both were bare. Charlie felt his heart skip a beat.

“Anyway,” Artemis continued, “I got there and I offered to help Badeea by taking the Cup into the maze. But then, I ran into Moody and he took one look at me and said I could do with a break, and he was happy to take the Cup into the maze for me so I had one less thing to do, and I… I gave him the Cup.”

“You’ve lost me, sorry,” Charlie said, placing his not quite empty mug onto the floor by the bed. “How does that make any of this your fault?”

“Don’t you see? Moody was the Death Eater spy.”

“What? But he’s an Auror!”

“No, it wasn’t actually Moody. It was the spy using a Polyjuice potion,” Artemis explained. “But that was his plan. Get the Cup, turn it into the Portkey. And I just… handed it to him. Just like that.”

Her eyes lifted to the ceiling and she blinked, hard. A single tear rolled down her right cheek, its course altered slightly as it deflected at the level of the small scar under her cheekbone. Charlie’s fingers itched to wipe it away for her, but he didn’t. There were certain lines he didn’t want to cross, and touching Artemis’ face would definitely definitely overstepping some kind of boundary.

Artemis rubbed the right side of her face forcefully with the heel of her hand and inside of her wrist. She blinked again, and took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for judgement. But judgement never came. Not from Charlie.

“You shouldn’t feel guilty for that,” he told her. She stared back at him, clearly disbelieving. “Artemis, you weren’t to know. You can’t beat yourself up like this over something that you didn’t know about.”

“No, but I should have known—”

“How? How would you have possibly known that? I mean, the whole thing is unbelievable. You’d have to be mad for the idea to even cross your mind that someone might… that any of that might be true.”

“I guess,” said Artemis, unfolding herself slightly to stroke Dragon, who was nudging her arm. “But I should have known something was wrong.”

Charlie shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. You were stressed out, and someone you thought you offered to help you. There’s nothing suspicious about that. Besides, we have all trusted the wrong people before.”

“That was different.”

“How come?”

“We were children, then. You’re meant to trust your teachers when you’re at school,” Artemis reasoned, her eyes still firmly on Dragon. “We were told Rakepick had our best interests at heart, so we believed it. We weren’t to know better, not when we were only teenagers.”

“I suppose not,” said Charlie, frowning, “but at what point would you say that you should know better?”

“I dunno.” Artemis’ nose wrinkled. “It’s just that when you’re growing up, you just assume that adults know what they’re doing and have all the answers to everything, and if they do things that are wrong, it’s because they are all wrong. But now, we are the grown ups, and I don’t know about you, but I still feel like I’m just making things up as I go along.”

So, it wasn’t just Charlie that felt that way. “Yeah, me too.”

“Shouldn’t we know by now? What we’re doing, and what is right, and what is wrong?”

“I… I don’t know. I mean, it’s not like you turn seventeen and the trace disappears and gets replaced with some kind of fountain of wisdom, is it?”

“No, but it would be good if it did,” Artemis said, with the shadow of a smile.

“Oh, yeah. Instead we just carry on not knowing things, with the addition of feeling bad for not knowing them. It’s pretty crap, if you think about it.”

“When do you think it will happen? That we will figure it all out and stop having to muddle through our lives?”

“You’re asking the wrong person. I’m as clueless as you are.” Charlie half-laughed. “Maybe when… Maybe never. Maybe no one actually knows what they’re doing.”

“So what, everyone in the world is just stumbling around blindly trying to find their way, every single day, until they die?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Even McGonagall?”

That was a good question. Charlie considered it for a moment. “I think she might be an exception.”

Artemis grinned, smiling properly for the first time since she’d arrived.

“Probably. I can’t believe that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. What about Dumbledore?”

“He definitely thinks he knows what he’s doing,” Charlie replied. “But I reckon he doesn’t. He hired Rakepick, didn’t he? And this person who wasn’t actually Moody, he obviously didn’t know about that either.”

“No, that’s true,” Artemis bit her bottom lip. “Do you think he feels guilty, too?”

“I bet he does.”

Both of them were quiet for a while, Artemis watching Dragon, and Charlie watching her.

“It must be easier if you’re a Crup,” Artemis said eventually. “Life, I mean.” Charlie nodded, and she raised her eyes to meet his, before telling him, “I would like a hug now.”

“I think I can manage that.”

Charlie wrapped his arms around Artemis’ shoulders and pulled her against his chest, while Dragon jealously nudged his way between them. Artemis mumbled something, and Charlie made a questioning noise.

“I said” — Artemis lifted her head from his sternum to talk to him — “what happens now? Now that…”

“Now that he’s back? I don’t know. But I don’t think life’s going to get easier any time soon.”

“What should we do?”

“I’d start by having a shower.” Charlie kept his face straight as Artemis scowled. “In the nicest way possible, you don’t smell good.”

Dragon wriggled out from the middle of the hug as his new packmate batted his master with a forepaw. She stood up and padded away from them, and he turned to look at his master with pleading eyes and two sheepishly wagging tails. He knew he was about to be scolded for being on the bed.

But, to his surprise, his master merely patted him on the head.

“Good job, Dragon. Well done, boy,” he said, before he also walked out of the room.

Dragon watched his master leave without even telling him to get down. He tilted his head to one side and whined to himself softly.

Humans were such strange and confusing creatures.

[ash-buzzard]

Year 7 chapter 22, St Mungo

[libellule-ao3]

Life Links

14. Ben Copper/ Monster

Summary: How did Ben Copper get there? A series of unfortunate circumstances.

⚠️Warning: Violence, Implicit abuse, Feeling of extreme loneliness, dark, Fenrir Greyback, ⚠️

A/N: This chapter was written at a time when Ben was considering a career as an Auror. It also explores the idea that an outcast ultimately chooses to stand by a "monster" rather than be alone and shunned by everyone. Which makes for a pretty dark chapter.

Chapter index - previous chapter (Irma Pince) - next chapter (Merula Snyde) -

The efforts of hundreds of wands united in a single purpose pierce the dome that protects the thousand-year-old school. Attacked from all sides, the protection collapses piece by piece, scattering reddish residues of magic into the night. Like the others, Ben Copper casts uninterrupted salvos of offensive spells to eliminate any trace of the impenetrable barrier.Behind him, the bloodthirsty werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, urges them to use more magic, more effort... more rage!

Ben Copper does not bear the Dark Mark. Yet, he joined the Death Eaters of his own free will. He, a Muggle-born.

The paradox!

The man of today left behind him the boy trembling under Merula Snyde's bullying, like a leaf beaten by a storm, the ridiculous student with multiple phobias isolating him from everyone, the reckless teenager rushing headlong into danger because he had something to prove, a life to justify and another, lost forever, to avenge.

Buoyed by Rowan's sacrifice, the wizard embarked on a career as an Auror alongside Tonks, Talbott Winger and Annie Thorn. A way for him to take part in the evil's eradication that plagues the world. Their training has been a long and bumpy road that has highlighted mental instability and a pathological propensity to take reckless risks that could turn him into danger to himself and others. In order not to be expelled, Ben Copper fought against himself to correct his nature and, in the end, he graduated with honours, his results surpassing even those of Annie and Talbott.

He soon received his placement, a quartet composed of personalities as different as they are complementary. His first mission: to solve a series of murders, the barbarity of which, judging by the corpses, would have turned the guts of a butcher. After a long investigation, Ben and his team tried to arrest a suspect.

After falling into a trap, two teammates were subjected to the Imperius Curse. Manipulated, blackmailed, pushed to their deepest limits, they all experienced Hell before managing to free themselves from this deleterious grip and regain the upper hand. Shocked by the sadism of this bloodthirsty assassin and determined to prevent him from doing any further harm, the young Auror eliminated him. If Sirius Black knew how to take advantage of the loopholes in Azkaban, this guy would have been able to do it too. The prospect of this demon regaining his freedom was both terrifying and unacceptable. For Ben, a radical solution was needed.

The outraged disapproval of his teammates still rings in his ears.

They called him a "monster"! In a panic, Ben falsified all the witness memories to make it look like self-defence. It wasn't legal. It wasn't moral, either. But it was damn right. Ben did society a favour by killing that sadist! Because he was working for justice, Ben didn't deserve a stay in Azkaban for the death of that murderer. Why did they refuse to understand?

Observant and perceptive, Alastor Moody found out. He demanded Ben's resignation before he retired. Excluded from a society he wanted to serve with all his soul, the wizard's isolation was the fertile ground for the growth of the worst seed.

Hate grows in the voids of existence. And the void, Ben, was full of it.

Later, Voldemort controlled the Ministry of Magic, which created a Muggle-born Registration Commission, an administration designed to discriminate and weed out the wizards like Ben. Abandoned by all and forced to rely only on himself, the ex-Auror lived in total destitution in hiding, until one day the Snatchers dragged him to the feet of Fenrir Greyback, the alpha among outcasts. A morbid fear had frozen his bones as he recognised the man, the beast... The monster.

A ruthless predator voluntarily at Voldemort's command, waiting to build up enough Werewolf troops to overthrow those wizards on all sides who unanimously despise lycanthropy.

So Copper had an idea. Since the wizarding world didn't want him, Ben would reject it in turn and drown the resentment that consumed him in blood.

"Make me a werewolf."

After the stupor, Fenrir grinned carnivorously. Greed glinted in his dilated pupils. Greyback didn't know it yet, but they were made of the same wood. Men who will do anything to achieve their goals. Hardliners.

"I enjoy biting kids better... They're more tender," Greyback hummed, licking his lips obscenely.

Nevertheless, the alpha pounced on him and gave the blond a painful glimpse of the violence of his dominance instincts before imprisoning him until the next full moon that has made him a new werewolf.

A large, muscular hand ruffles Ben's blond hair. The ex-auror submits willingly to this treatment, which is not at all affectionate.

He is no longer alone.

Never again alone.

A shadow clouds his large brown eyes. At the signal, the entire pack sets off. Ben is in the front line. He is strong, powerful. Copper runs, adrenalin runs through his veins. An army of animated stone statues in a tight row stands in his way. Not for long. His magic makes his wand twinkle.

"Flipendo Maxima!"

Part of the first line of defense collapses on the second, as Acromentulas slither between the stone legs, or advance over the rubble. Other wizards follow suit. The haphazard steps of the trolls and the slow, heavy steps of the giants make the ground tremble under his feet. As in a game of dominoes, the second line of statues topples the third, then the fourth. The fifth resists. But no matter!

The Battle only just begun!

[maelstroumwaterfall]

Arbormagic Sydrome (The End Of The Wizarding World) | Hogwarts Mystery Infection AU Chapter 7

(Warning: Blood; Description of disturbing scenes.)

Chapter 7 | Not her time yet

- No! It's all my fault!.. I must find her! - were the last words Barnaby heard before he had to rush after Penny to stop her from going to the Forbidden Forest alone. She was running towards the front doors, she was sure it was her fault that Tonks went missing.

She ran out of the castle, sobbing and wiping her tears. Many people have already been asked and nobody knew when the young witch could be. Tonks was last seen at Olivander's and nobody saw her since she leaved that place.

- Penny, no! - Barnaby called out after her and after a few moments reached to catch her. She tried to pull out of his grip but he held her close as he couldn't let her put herself in danger. - You can't just go to the Forbidden Forest and look for her, especially in such condition! You need to stay in hospital wing. She can be anywhere, you'll only put yourself in danger this way..

She made a few more attempts to get away while listening to him, but his words made her stop for a moment and let her regain her breath. Her voice was trembling, not just cause she was sobbing but also due to the cold wind that made her shiver. - But what if something happened to her? What if she needs our help?..

He couldn't find the words that would comfort her. Just staying at Hogwarts wasn't easy for him either, he would probably go to search for Tonks with Penny, but he just can't let her go anywhere in this condition and besides.. it wasn't like he himself felt good. He felt symptoms similar to the myalgia, his veins and muscles were aching and he couldn't get rid of the constant exhaustion with any sleep.

- She's being rescued. I'm sure she'll soon be found. It'll not help the situation if we also go missing. - as he said it he felt like some of her tears fell down on his hands. He felt like crying himself when he saw her suffering so much. She's haunted by the guilt and constant pain.

She's been transferred to the hospital wing recently, it enabled Barnaby to spend more time with her, but also to see in how much pain she's in. She had to constantly get the wounds she causes herself disinfected, but then she would still keep scratching them futher, causing even more harm to her already damaged skin.

Her eyes were red and irritated cause she was barely able to sleep, he could also hear her always crying at night. He was trying to comfort her, but it wouldn't help the agony of pain she was going through. Nobody knew what was going on with her.

She just leaned back in his arms and buried her head in his chest while the tears kept falling down her cheeks. Lee tried to comfort her and gently stroked her back while holding her close to himself, hoping it would help to relieve her pain, at least just a little bit.

-------------

- So you're sure it was him? - Murk whispered so only Rowan and Merula would hear. They were in the library as Merula stated this place for her meeting with Ismelda and it happened that she also took Rowan with her.

Merula told her about what happened in the Slytherin common room and how Maelström sneaked in her dorm room while she slept. Rowan still felt very conflicted, like he's betraying his best friend. He really wanted to trust Waterfall but just couldn't after everything he saw him doing.

- I know it. It couldn't be anyone else. And what happened at the Care For Magical Creatures lesson just proved it! - Snyde responded and glanced at them to see if they understand what she means.

- You mean.. That Kneazle attacked him cause he was a danger? - Rowan asked her and immediately remembered the terrible pictures of his friend screaming in agony and his bare skin that was torn off his face. He felt like his mind became dizzy again, it was definitely a very heavy and traumatic memory for him.

- I would choose a word "scum" instead of "danger", but yes, that's exactly what I mean. Professor Kettleburn told us that Kneazles have an uncanny ability to detect untrustworthy people. Isn't what happened with Maelström not a proof that he hides something? - she noticed how Rowan was struggling with the memories about his friend and couldn't help but felt a kind of pity for him.

Two Slytherins looked at eachother and nodded. For Ismelda it was more like a game, she was just curious about the whole situation while Rowan's intention was to understand if Maelström needs help or is a danger to others.

- You're probably right. I - Ismelda didn't manage to finish as she was interrupted by Rowan. His tone was uncertain but he felt like the idea makes sense.

- You said something about the traces on your wand, right? - Rowan looked at Merula and she nodded. She was a little surprised at his sudden interruption but she was curious about what he had in mind. - What if it's a creature? I mean.. A magical creature?

Both girls glanced at him with questioning expression and he had no other choice but to continue.

- Well.. I haven't heard of such things before but.. there could probably be magical insects that can live in wood? Like.. Literally merge with it. - he suggested, feeling a little foolish but he noticed that Merula really had some thoughts about it now.

- Or it gets into the people's bodies through their ears while they sleep! - was Murk's suggestion that made both Rowan and Merula scowl in disgust. - What? That would actually explain Waterfall's behaviour.

- What if both? - Merula suddenly exclaimed and caught Madam Pince's attention. She made her tone more silent and bent down to Rowan and Ismelda so they could hear her better. - It would explain why Maelström sneaked into my dorm room.. And why he stole my wand too..

- And it would explain the Kneazle's reaction to Maelström. I mean.. Maelström isn't a bad person as you might think.. What if the Kneazle could somehow detect this.. creature? - Rowan still hoped that they were wrong about Maelström. He knew him more than any of them. He couldn't just pretend to get on well with him this whole time, could he?

- We might do some research on it. I would ask Professor Kettleburn about Kneazles if he only was at Hogwarts.. - Merula thought about who else she might ask about these creatures when Ismelda suddenly spoke up.

- Why not ask Filch? He cares about Mrs. Norris like she's his wife. Sure he knows everything about the species of her beloved. - that was actually a good idea from Ismelda. Merula didn't expect her to finally say something useful but it happened just in time.

- Then I'll go and find him right now. It's almost a curfew so I must hurry. You can look for more information here in the library while I'm gone. - Merula stood up from the seat and was already about to go out of the library and rush to find Filch. It was already late but she still had some time.

Both Rowan and Murk accepted her plan and Merula was already walking down the corridor to find the Hogwarts' caretaker. It was very dark in there, the moonlight that came through the windows was the only thing that could help her to navigate in the confusing row of the corridors and the staircases.

She couldn't help but noticed how silent it was there. Almost every student was already in their common or dorm room to avoid being caught by Filch.

As Merula walked she felt like having a some kind of peace. She took a deep breath and relaxed her lungs, she felt quite good. How long ago she had such feeling? She couldn't help but remembered the moments when she lived at her house with her parents, when she could sleep with the feeling that when she wakes up she'll see her mom and dad that love her, and then she suddenly remembered all the times when she woke up with only the feelings of loneliness and longing in her heart.

She learnt to ignore those feelings over time, but they still were constantly haunting her. She tried to push these thoughts away, she's not a child anymore. She was a child before, the one who got everything she had taken away. Now she was absolutely different person, right?

She couldn't answer the question in her head now. Suddenly, she heard someone's steps through the sound of her own. She immediately stopped and regretted that she didn't rush away as soon as she heard these footsteps. This someone sounded like his legs were moving randomly but rapidly, and when Merula wanted to turn and see who it was she suddenly felt someone's strong, death grip from behind.

It stumbled her legs and covered her mouth so she wouldn't be able scream. She didn't need much to see who it was. The side of eye enabled her to see Waterfall's distorted face. He tore his bandages off and his bloody, clawed off face was bare and even more disgusting. She felt like vomiting when she noticed how there were long, squirming worms moving under his bare skin. At least they looked like worms..

His only eye looked like it will fall out while the other one was replaced by the black hole that also had these worms coming out. This was everything she noticed in these two seconds before she barely managed to block the sharp knife that threatened to cut her throat.

She yelled in pain as she sharp metal pierced through her palm but she held onto it. She wouldn't give up her life so easily. Nobody could hear her screaming as her voice was muffled by the attacker's palm. She clenched her palm onto the knife even through it was bringing her the almost unbearable pain, she needed to do that to stay alive.

- DIE YOU WORTHLESS SLUT!!!! DIE!!!! - Waterfall yelled loudly, causing the blood fall out of his distorted mouth filled with the countless amount of worm-like creatures. Saying that he sounded absolutely mad is like saying nothing.

She felt like her mind became dizzy and how she was slowly losing control over her hand due to the sharp and burning pain. It felt like the knife pierced her bones and that she couldn't last holding this knife any longer anymore. This was a rare moment when she wanted to call, yell, beg for someone's help but she just couldn't.

That wasn't like she wanted her life to end.

( Btw Mrs. Norris is a Kneazle in my au ;> Thnx for reading 🩷🌟💝)

[whatwouldvalerydo]

Late night enchantments - ch 81 - Together in silence

Here we go ladies and gentlemen, the beginning of the last arc for Late Night Enchantments. It is the first time my heart races when introducing a chapter. Maybe because I know it will soon end, maybe because we have just 20 more chapters to go. Maybe because of all the love and time I put into this story.

Hope you enjoy.